University of Utah

Program Description

The Criminology Major provides students with an in-depth exposure to all facets of crime and criminal behavior. Through exploration of both theoretical and applied social science research, students will learn the many aspects of crime as a social phenomenon. This includes empirical research on crime and criminal behavior, the tools and methods used to study and prevent crime, and the institutions involved in the processing of juvenile and adult offenders. The Department of Sociology is home to the Criminology Major and Certificate, and it is the only department on campus that offers any emphasis in criminology, corrections, or criminal justice. Criminology students take courses from a variety of departments covering topics such as social deviance, ethics, abnormal psychology, adolescent development, and corrections administration. The major can overlap with many other program areas.

Academic and Career Opportunities

If you want to expand your skills and gain hands-on field experience while in school, you can complete a criminology internship in a community agency (such as Juvenile Justice Services or the YWCA). Upon graduation, careers in law enforcement, rehabilitation, and advocacy are possible. With additional education, students can become therapists, lawyers, administrators, or professors.